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Hundred Islands Travel Guide

If the Philippines has indeed 7,107 islands during low tide and 7,106 during high tide then that island difference can be seen in the Hundred Islands National Park in Alaminos, Pangasinan.

These group of islets and islands can be seen at the northeastern part of Alaminos City. Of the 124 islands, only 3 are developed- Children’s island, Governor’s island and Quezon island. My fave spot is the Lopez island (see 3rd photo) or Papaya island as the locals call it.

I wanna share with you my DIY tour of the islands and my overnight stay on my hammock.

This is my second visit to the #1 attraction in Pangasinan and it didn’t fail me the second time. I just noticed that there are so many students nowadays (to think I came on a Monday and its not a holiday) visiting the islands for a picnic.

Quezon Island, the most developed island among the 124

As this is part of my 100 Days Journey, I can’t afford to pay Php800 for the banca. So I just asked if I can join the service boat for maintenance crew. So I went there for free.

This is my fave spot back in 2004 when I first came here. I visited again (via kayak) and reminisce the memories

How to get to Hundred Islands?

1. Take a bus Manila to Dagupan or Alaminos like Victory Liner. Travel time: 3-3.5 hours

2. Get off at Alaminos City proper, look for the public market and walk towards SUKI supermarket and go to LUCAP Terminal just infront of SUKI. Fare is Php15/person to Lucap wharf (pantalan), the jump-off to Hundred Islands. You just have to wait for 3 more passengers. Travel time is just 15minutes or less.

If you are on a hurry, you can rent any tricycle you see for Php50-60.

3. Register at the Tourism Info Center at the Lucap Wharf. Boats are available from 7am-5pm. Choose according to how many you are. If you are traveling solo, I suggest you wait for a group where you can tag along to save expenses. Entrance fee to island hopping is Php20 during day tour, Php40 for night trips. Boat rental and parking fees are published below:

Motorboat Rates

Parking Fee

Camping or pitching your tent?

I suggest you camp on Quezon Island as there are a handful of people living there.

Camping Fee: Php200/night/tent

Tent Rental: Php400

Others:

Kayak rental: Php250/hour (good for 2 persons). I suggest you do this and hop from one island to another. Experience the thrill and excitement when conquering waves; serenity when in between large rock formations.

Snorkeling gear: Php100, use as long as you want. I have seen both big and small fishes when I snorkled.

Cottage Overnight rental: Php 2,500 (good for 4-6pax)

CR: Php5

Tips:

1. There is cellphone signal (Smart & Globe) in the islands. I’m not sure with Sun.

2. There is no fresh water supply. Be sure to bring enough drinking water as basic necessities are sooooo f****** expensive in the island. Yes, more expensive than Boracay. Buko Juice is Php100, Sardines is Php80, etc.

3. Bring enough food. See #2 tip again.

4. There is no electricity except for the generator for the cottage. Charging of cellphone is Php50.

___ ___ ___

Trip happened during Days 6 & 7 of ISANG DAAN Journey at Hundred Islands National Park, Alaminos, Pangasinan. Thanks to Sir Rey Livara for allowing me to camp on the island for free. Thanks also to boatmen who let me hitch going and coming out of the islands.

May we add. As noted in some comments we made there have been changes at hundred islands. Nipas have been eroded and will be placed by concrete ones. The target is it’ll be done my summer of 2014. You may read the article for further information “Gov’t Of Alaminos Started Clearing Hundred Islands ‘EYESORES’“

I’m glad that u enjoyed your stay in Alaminos, Pangasinan. This is my hometown and i loved going back home every now and then. Hundred Island is genuinely an amazing place and i have a suggestion to those who wish to go there, try also BOLO BEACH in telbang, alaminos city. Can go there by tricycle, the terminal is near the victory liner terminal and it’s just 7kms from the public market. There are cottages in bolo which is much cheaper and all of them are beach front and much safer for kids, u can swim all day. From there you can also rent a boat going to hundred island at the same price as in Lucap wharf, and can make “tawad” to the boatman. Hope u can visit BOLO beach also.

Hi Joy,
Thank you very much for ur help.. I’m really looking for some info about where we can stay safe with my baby. We’ll be going there at Hundred Islands on March for my birthday, but we’re planning to go to Manaoag Church first. Can you suggest an itinerary for us from Manila to Manaog to Alaminos? Thank you very much for ypur help 🙂

In addition to what Joy mentioned about Bolo beach, there are also motorboats that you can rent there and it’s not commercialized, so you can bargain to the owner of the boat. You can stay at Bolo beach during night time and rent a boat during daytime to visit the islands, this will help you a lot on your budget. I’m not from Alaminos but I’ve been there many times since I worked there before in LTO Alaminos.

Is there Any updates for motorboats rates? (2013 room rates,entrance fee,etc)
My hubby and i were planning to go there this coming tuesday..
And we just wanna make sure about the fees and evrything 😉
Its better to go there weekdays right? 😉

Hi James, regarding boat service, if its just day tour, we cant stay longer in one place because time is limited and boatmen have to wait for us right? If that so, how can we enjoy the beach? what if we want to stay in one island say Quezon Island, are there available safe cottages? and just choose overnight instead? I understand resorts with electricity are only available in town proper/hundred islands office right?

If you’ll take day tour for 3 major islands then the policy is 20-30min stay/island but you can choose which of the 3 you wanted to stay then you can ask them to pick up at 4-5pm by so doing you can enjoy the beach. The policy would be different if you took an all island tour of which you can stay for as long as you want in an island but you must consider other islands to be visited. There are safe picnic table/area in major islands (Php250/area). Overnight is a different thing as boat rate rates would be changed (rates would be changed by summer 2014 hopefully as the new tariff are now approved at alaminos but will be reviewed by DOT). There have been a lot of changes going on recently (jul2013 onwards) of eroding nipas (with elect) and replace by concrete ones.

Yes there are. P5-10 per use per person. However, it’s all salt water. There are no fresh water (so far) in any of the islands except at govenor’s island which is provided when the island is reserved for your group.

Been dreaming seeing the Hundred Islands since I was a kid and even included it in our bucket list. Last month me and my husband went there. The view and tour was awesome. The Philippines is really a treasure. 🙂

Policies are discussed then approved by Alaminos Gov’t. One of which is fees for the table/picnic areas as well as camping/pitching tent areas. Furthermore, pitching time is 5pm-6am (shore/baseline areas). However there are areas at the island where you may picth anytime which are located near the nipa areas. Note that nipas are now eroded.

Thanks a lot for this blog James… Seems very helpful and has inspired me and a group of collegues to go there this weekend, using your method…
Hopefully, with your guide it will be a great manila getaway trip.

It would depend with current weather and your intuition. There are pros and cons either way hence it would depend on your character. If you’d love to meet new challenges and choose to be happy when issues arrives then go w/o one. Should you wish to have a less stress getaway but will increase your costs then get hundred islands tour package. NOTE: there’s nothing wrong by making tawad.

Thank you for sharing this. It’s a great way for tourists to have a birds eve view at hundred islands. BTW: there’ll be great changes in this place and hope to finish before summer of 2014. Recently, nipas have been eroded and will be replaced by more stable edifice.

For smooth and relaxing tour, all islands tour should be done in 6 hours (at least on our end unlike others who will squeeze it at 4 hours). 3 Majors islands is done (or must be done) in 2 hours or less.

Note that all 3 motorboat association will have you choose which island to stay then pick the guests at 5pm back to Lucap (day tour) or the agreed time the following day for overnight stay.

it quite good for us who want to go there and traveling in the philippines. I feel very happy because from this I learn that the true happiness is help others. or may say that serve others. God bless you KUYA JAMES.

Hi! I hope you can help me find the number of whatever good hotel my family can check in this Holy Week. I was trying to call this number – (075) 551 5753 but it doesn’t seem to work.. this will be an overnight trip, please help! 🙁 Thanks in advance!

if we arrived at hundred islands at 1pm and rent a boat for a day tour and snorkelling gears, until what time pwede sila magamit? ano po ba ang basis ng day tour, number of hours used or fixed hour? if fixed hour, until what time? in island hopping, is there a boat driver who will guide us? how about during snorkelling, we are not good swimmers kasi. if we rent a cottage with room in one of the islands, safe po ba to leave our things there? Hope to hear from you soon since we are planning to go there on May 3… thanks po…

We plan to go there for a 3D2N camping trip. Any suggestion and tips? Since walang fresh water and you said it’s expensive..we’ll bring a gallon of mineral water. How about for the food and cooking? Is there a market or store where we can buy our stuff? Or we should buy it in Alaminos before taking the trike? How about cooking utensils? thre is for rent or we should bring our own? THANKS

There are sari sari stores (offering cooked food or you can arrange a deal to send the food at the agreed island) at lucap wharf where you can eat and buy packed food. You can rent cooler and utensils as well. You may buy stuff at alaminos market then use a cooler.

Please be advised though (as we’re keep on trying to disseminate) there are no more nipas’ at any of the islands. Cottages? Yes but no nipas/room unlike before. The only house remaininh is the PBB house at Governors Island.

Depende po yan sa usapan ninyo but make sure that the staff at lucap wharf are aware po. It’s a deal between you and the boatman parang photography deal din po yan like me (wedding photographer in quezon city.